Handle lock for suction cleaners



Feb. 20, 1951 G. R. coss HANDLE LOCK FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 10, 1944 -f-Il/ 3 H I w: a n0 ,0 M /45 2 INVENTOR.

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Feb. 20, 1951 e. R. coss HANDLE LOCK FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1944 SQEQSE l! illmll INVENTOR. ''ar ge F 8068,

HTTOFNEY- Feb. 20, 1951 G. R. 0055 HANDLE LOCK FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 10, 1944 INVENTOR. 662 119 7 6 fiTTaIrM-K Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE 2,542,120 I HANDLE LOCK FOR SUCTION CLEANERS George R. Coss, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Eureka Williams Corporation, a corporation of Michigan 14 Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners and has particular reference to a new and improved lock and control for the handle thereof and mounting for the rear wheels thereof.

Th principal object of the invention is to provide: a new and improved handle lock for a suction cleaner.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following speciflcation taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which there are three sheets and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a cleaner embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the handle lock and wheel mounting, with certain parts of the cleaner omitted or illustrated in section, and taken generally along the line 2--2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the staggered line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the staggered line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

I Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lineG-Sof Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional veiw taken generally along the line 1--'| of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. '7.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a suction 'cleaner embodying the invention may include a body or casing Ill mounted on front wheels I2 and rear wheels H for movement over a surface or surface covering to be cleaned, and a handle l6 pivotally mounted on the cleaner is provided for maneuvering the same over the floor. The suction cleaner also includes other conventional parts which are not shown, such as an electric motor and a fan driven thereby. The machine also includes a floor nozzle l8 to which the surface or surface covering to be cleaned is presented, and a dirt collecting receptacle, such as a bag 20, is operatively associated with the machine for collecting the dirt and separating the same from the air which circulates through the machine.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it will be observed that the rear wheels H are iournaled on trunnions 22 which form part of the axle 24, such axle further including a tubular member 26 from the ends of which project pins or shafts 28, the trunnions 22 being eccentrically formed integral with the shafts 26. Such shafts 28 are fixedly I assembled to the tube 26. The axle 24 is supported by a pair of leaf springs 30. Each leaf spring 36 has one end thereof coiled and fitted in a groove 32 in one of the shafts 26 while the other end of each leaf spring 30 is secured by any suitable means, such as a screw or rivet, to the flat face of a boss 34 which is provided on the under side of the body of the cleaner. The springs 30 are spaced apart sufliciently so as to cooperate with the front wheels l2 to provide a stable mounting for the cleaner. The springs 30 preferably are sufliciently stiff so that they will not .deflect under the loads on the cleaner whenever so 24 in the coiled ends of the leaf springs 30. The

clip 38 may be secured to the under side of the cleaner behind the axle 24. Each end of the pin 36 may be provided with a head 40 to prevent the separation thereof from the-clip 38 or the hole in the axle 24. As the trumiions 22 are arranged eccentricalbr with respect to the axis of the axle 24 but parallel thereto, it will be appreciated that rotation of the axle 24 will shift the axis of the trunnions 22 and thereby shift the center of rotation of the rear wheels l4.

With the parts arranged as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the trunnions 22 and wheels l4 are in what might be termed their lowermost position; that is, they are farthest removed from the body of the cleaner. By disengaging the pin 36 from the clip 38 and using the pin 36 to turn the axle 24 one hundred eighty degrees, the trunnions 22 will be positioned closer to the body of the cleaner, thereby in effect raising the rear wheels or lowering the cleaner relative to the rear wheels. Thereafter, by shifting the pin 36 so as to engage the other end thereof with the spring clip 36, the axle 24 may be locked in this position. Such shifting of the axle 24 will have the effect of raising the nozzle 18 away from the surface on which the wheels l2 and I4 are supported. With the foregoing adjustment for the wheels, the nozzle l8 may be set in either of two positions with respect to the floor, that is, either high or low position. The nozzle adjustment herein disclosed is claimed in the copending application of Paul T. Hahn, Serial No. 514,855, filed December 18, 1943, for Nozzle Adjustment for Suction Cleaners, now Patent No. 2,396,846.

The handle 16 at the lower end thereof is pro- 3 vided with a socket 42 which includes spaced parallel sides 44, To the insides of such sides 44 are integrally secured plates or cam members 48 .and 48. A shaft to Journaled in bearings 52 and secured in suitable holes in the sides 44 and plates 46 and 48 forms a'pivotal support for the handle IS. The bearings 52" are carried by a bracket 54 which includes spaced vertical sides 56 and 68 and laterally extending flanges or tabs 4 II by means of which the bracket 54 may be rigidly secured to a suitable portion of the body 80 of the cleaner. As illustrated, the shaft 50 is arranged substantially directly above the axle 24.

The plate 46 forms a part of the handlejlock and by referring to Fig. 4 it will be observed that the plate 46 is provided with a cam slot 62. This slot includes two parts, as follows: A part 64 which is formed on a radius about the shaft 50, and another part 66, said parts 64 and to being separated by a hump or detent 68. A roller Hi iournaled on a shaft 12 extends into the slot 82 and is adapted to cooperate with the edges thereof to lock the handle IS in its vertical or parked position. The shaft 12 is carried by the upper end of a link '34, a shoulder on the shaft l2 seating against one side of the link 54 while a nut 75 applied to a threaded part of the shaft 52 which extends through a hole in the link It serves to rigidly lock the shaft 72 to the link. The part 64 of the slot 52 defines what might be termed the operating range of the handle, and is of such a length and so disposed with respect to the roller '30 that the handle may move through its normal operating range in use. This range may be anywhere from a substantially horizontal position to a position in which the handle is arranged at an angle of approximately 65 with respect to the horizontal. As previously indicated, the hump 68 defines one end of the part 64. I

Movement of the handle it from the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 4 to its vertical position will cause the roller F0 to ride over the hump 38 into the part 66 of the slot 62 and in this position the handle will be arranged in a substantially vertical position. The other end of the link 14 is connected to the axle 24 so as to move therewith but to permit rotation of the axle 24 without shifting of the link 14. The leaf springs which support the axle resist displacement thereof, but are designed to permit the link but in a reverse direction it is necessary to exert a downward force on the handle (which at such time is in its vertical position) in order to permit the handle it to be moved from its vertical to its operating position. Thus, when the roller 10 is in the part 86 of the slot 62 the handle I 6 is locked in its parked position. This will permit the cleaner to be picked up and carried by the handle and retain the body ID of the cleaner substantially in a horizontal posi-' tion. Thus by pressing down on the handle ii to bodily depress the handle (as distinguished from rearward pivoting of the handle) the handle lock may be unlocked, thereby permitting the handle to be shifted or pivoted from its parked to its operating position by moving the free end of the handle downwardly and backwardly. The leaf springs 30 which support the axle 24 thus also function as a part of the handle lock.

, I 4 To counterbalance the weight'of the handle it and its associated parts, a coil spring 80 is provided. One end 82 of this spring is hooked around a pin 84 which is carried by and projects inwardly from the cam plate 46. The other end 86 of the spring is hooked around a shaft to which is carried by and extends between the sides 56 and 58 of the bracket 54. The spring to extends around the shaft '50 and is disposed between the sides 56 and 58 of the bracket 54.

To determine the lower limit of the normal operating rang of the handle 16 and to define the extreme limits of movement of the handle it about its pivot 50, the cam plate 48 is provided on its periphery with a surface S0 with which a roller 92 is cooperable. The roller 92 is carried on a shaft. (Fig. 9) which is mounted on the free end of a swinging. link 96, the link 96 being pivoted to a shaft 98 carried by the bracket as and constrained by a spring it!) so as to keep the roller 92 in engagement with the surface it. As link 96 is on the inside of wall-53 of bracket 54, a slot is formed in the periphery of wall 53 to accommodate shaft 94 (Figs. 5 and 9). The surface 90 at one end terminates in a stop W2 which defines the parked position of the handle 15. The surface 90 is also provided with another stop me which defines the limit of the normal operating range of the handle and a further stop me which defines the limit of the horizontal position of the handle. The stops it! and H16 cooperate with the roller 92 to confine movement of the handle between such stops, while the stop Hit is so formed that if sufiicient downward force is applied to the free end of the handle, the spring iilil will give and permit the roller 92 to ride over the stop I04. Thus in the position in which the parts are shown in Fig. 5, the stop M4 is cooperating with the roller 92 to hold the handle in the lower limit of its normal operating position. The spring Hill is coiled about the shaft 98 and one end of the spring is anchored in a notch H0 formed in the bracket 54, while the other end H2 of the spring extends forwardly and is hooked under the link 86 so as to press the roller 92 against the surface 90 on the cam plate 48.

Thus it will be observed that I have provided for a suction cleaner having a body provided with an upstanding handle it mounted thereon for swinging movement from a substantially vertical position downwardly and rearwardly through an arc to an operating position and back to saidvertical position, spring mounted wheels i4 on the body, and locking mechanism associated with the mounting of the handle IS on the body l0 and automatically operable for locking said handle in its vertical position upon swinging movement of the handle into its vertical position, such locking mechanism comprising a latch provided by the roller 10 and a keeper provided by the portion 6 of theslot 64, such latch being connected with the wheels for movement therewith upon movement thereof relative to said body, said locking mechanism being constructed and arranged to be iclaim:

1. In a suction cleaner having an upstanding handle mounted thereon ior maneuvering the same, said handle being mounted for swinging movement from a parked position downwardly and rearwardly to an operating position and back to said parked position, spring mounted wheel means for said cleaner, locking mechanism associated with said handle and interconnected with and operable by said spring mounted wheel 'means for automatically locking said handle in means carried by said body and on which said wheels are mounted, locking mechanism associated with said handle and interconnected with and operable by said spring means for automatically locking said handle in a vertical position upon movement of said handle to such position, said locking mechanism being constructed and arranged to be released by bodily depressing said handle, said spring means being constructed so as not to deflect materially under the load of the cleaner, and so as to deflect when said handle is bodily depressed, said handle being mounted above said wheels.

3. In a suction cleaner arranged for movement on a floor and having a body with an upstanding handle mounted thereon for swinging movement from a substantially vertical position downwardly and rearwardly through an arc to an operating position and back to said vertical position, yieldably mounted wheel means including a spring forming a support for said body, locking mechanism associated with the mounting of said handle on said body and automatically operable for positively locking said handle in its vertical position relative to said body upoL swinging movement of said handle into its vertical position when said cleaner is so arranged on a floor, so as to permit said cleaner to be picked up by means of said handle while maintaining the relative positions of said body and handle, said locking mechanism including a pair of relatively movable, interen- 'gageable locking elements, one 01' which is connected to said wheels for movement therewith upon relative movement thereof toward said body and the other of which is associated with said body and arranged to be released from said one of said locking elements by pressing said cleaner bodydownwardly while said handle is in its vertical position, said spring being of a strength sumcient to support the load of said cleaner without deflecting materially and functioning to hold said locking elements engaged when said handle is in such vertical position and said cleaner is so arranged on said floor.

4. In a suction cleaner having wheel means forming a support for said cleaner for movement on a floor and a body with an upstanding handle, means mounting said handle on said body for swinging movement from a substantially vertical position downwardly and rearwardly through an arc to an operating position and back to said vertical position and for bodily movement downwardly relative to said floor while said wheels are supporting said cleaner on said floor, locking 145 mechanism associated with said handle and said body and automatically operable for positively locking said handle in its vertical position relative to said body upon swinging movement of said handle into its vertical position when said cleaner is so arranged on a floor, so as to permit said cleaner to be picked up by means of said handle while maintaining the relative positions of said body and handle, said locking mechanism including a pair of relatively movable, interengageable locking elements and a spring functioning to interengage said locking elements when said handle is in such vertical position and said cleaner is so arranged on a floor, one of said locking elements being connected to said handle for movement therewith and for disengagement from the other of said locking elements by bodily depressing said handle while said handle is in its vertical position and the cleaner is supported on said wheels.

am a suction cleaner having wheel means forming a support for said cleaner for movement on a floor and a body with-an upstanding handle, means mounting said handle on said body for swinging movement from a substantially vertical position downwardly and rearwardly through an arc to an operating position and back to said vertical position and for bodily movement downwardly relative to said floor while said wheels are supporting said cleaner on said floor, locking mechanism associated with said handle and said body and automatically operable for positively. locking said handle in its vertical position relative to said body upon swinging movement 01' said handle into its vertical position when said cleaner is so arranged on a, floor, so as to permit said cleaner to be picked up by means of said handle while maintaining the relative positions of said body and handle, said locking mechanism including a pair of relatively movable, cooperating locking elements, one of said locking elements being connected to said handle for disengagement from the other of said locking elements by bodily depressing said handle while said handle is in its vertical position and the cleaner is supported on said wheels.

6. In a suction cleaner arranged for movement on a floor and having a body with an upstanding handle mounted thereon for swinging movement from a substantially vertical position downwardly and rearwardly through an arc to an operating position and back to said vertical position, yieldably mounted wheel means including a spring forming a support for said body, locking mechanism associated with the mounting of said handle on said body and automatically operable for positively locking said handle in its vertical position relative to said body upon swinging movement of said handle into its vertical position when said cleaner is so arranged on a floor, so as to permit said cleaner to be picked up by means of said handle while maintaining the relative positions of said body and handle, said locking mechanism including a pair of relatively movable, interengageable locking elements, one of which is connected to said wheels and operable when engaged with the other locking element for limiting movement of said wheels away from said body under the influence of said spring, the other of said locking elements being associated with said body and arranged to be released from said one of said locking elements by pressing said cleaner body downwardly while said handle is in its said vertical position and the cleaner is so arranged on said handle is 7 floor, said spring being of a stren th suiflcient t support the load of said cleaner without deflecting materially and functioning'to hold said look ried by said body and on which some oi said,

wheels are mounted for yieldably supporting said body when said handle is in a parked position relative to said body, locking mechanism associated with said handle and actuated by said spring means for automatically positively locking said handle in said parked position relative to said body upon movement of said handle to such parked position when said cleaner is so arranged on a floor, so as to permit said cleaner to be picked up by means of said handle while maintaining the relative positions of said body and handle, and means for releasing said locking mechanism by bodily depressing said handle while said body is so arranged on said floor and said in parked position relative thereto so as to permit swinging movement of said handle to an operating position for maneuvering said cleaner, said locking mechanism being associated with said wheels and operable for locking the same against movement relative to said body when said handle is in said operating position.

8. In a suction cleaner arranged for movementon a floor and having a spring mounted body with an upstanding handle mounted thereon for swinging movement from a substantially vertical position downwardly and rearwardly through an arc to an operating position and back to said vertical position, locking mechanism associated with the mounting of said handle on said body and automatically operable for locking said handle in its vertical position upon swinging movement of said handle into its vertical position, wheel means and spring means on which the wheel means are mounted, said spring means being constructed so as not to deflect materially under the load of said cleaner when said cleaner is standing on the floor and being operatively interconnected with said locking mechanism to bias the latter into locking position when said cleaner is' so arranged on said floor and said handle is in its vertical position, the latch of said locking mechanism being constructed and arranged to be released by pressing said cleaner body downwardly relative to said wheel means while said handle is in its vertical position and said cleaner is standing on the floor to permit free pivotal movement of said handle.

9. In a suction cleaner, a body having a bracket, a handle pivoted on said bracket, a floor wheel, means including a spring forming a'movand arranged so that when said wheel is supporta ing said cleaner on the floor said locking member in one position thereof relative to said look-- ing element is positioned in the path of movement 01 said handle locking element for locking ammo.

said handle against pivoting movement on said bracket and in another relative position thereoi is positioned out of said path of movement so as to permit pivoting movement of said handle.

10. In a suction cleaner, a body, a'handle pivoted on said body, a floor wheel, means including a spring forming a movable mounting for said wheel on said body which provides 'for relative movement between said wheel and body and which is arranged to bias said body to the limit of its movement upwardly away from said wheel when the cleaner is supported on the floor by said wheel, a locking element on said handle and movable with said body relative to said wheel. a locking member connected with said mounting, said locking element being constructed and arranged so that when said wheel is supporting said cleaner on the floor said locking element in one position thereof relative to said locking member has its path of movement as determined by the pivotal movement of said handle obstructed by said locking member for locking said handle against pivoting movement on said body and in another position thereof relative to said locking member has its path of movement unobstructed so as to permit pivoting movement of said handle.

11. In a suction cleaner, a body having a bracket, a handle pivoted on said bracket, a floor wheel, means including a spring forming a movable mounting for said wheel on said body which provides for relative movement between said wheel and body and which is arranged to bias said body to the limit of its movement upwardly away from said wheel when the cleaner is supported on the iioor by said wheel, a locking element on said handle, a locking member connected with said mounting and movable therewithrelative to said body, said locking'member in one position thereof relative to said locking element being positioned in the path of movement of said handle locking element for locking said handle against pivoting movement on said bracket and in another relative position thereof being positioned out of said path of movement so as to permit pivoting movement of said handle, and means operable for locking said body fixedly relative to said wheel by pivotal movement of said handle.

12. In a suction cleaner, a body having a bracket, a handle pivoted on said bracket, a floor wheel, means including a spring forming a mounting for said wheel on said body which provides for relative movement between said wheel and body which is arranged to bias said body to floor by said wheel, a locking element onsaidhandle, a locking member connected with said mounting and movable therewith relative to said body, said locking member in one position thereof being positioned in the path of movement of said handle locking element for locking said handle against pivoting movement on said bracket and in another position thereof being positioned out of said path 01' movement so as to permit pivoting movement of said handle, said locking member being movable out of the path of movement of said locking element upon depressing said body by downward pressure thereon sufllcient to overcome the force of said spring so as to permit pivoting movement of said handle when the cleaner is supported by said wheel on a floor.

13. In a suction cleaner, a body having a bracket, a handle pivoted on said bracket, supporting wheels, means including a spring forming a mounting for one of said wheels on said body which provides for relative movement between said wheel and body and which is arranged to bias said body upwardly and to a position away from said wheel when the cleaner is supported on the floor by said wheels, a locking element on said handle, a locking member connected with said mounting and so as to be movable therewith relative to said bracket, said locking member in one position thereof being engageable with said locking element for locking said handle against pivoting movement on said bracket, said looking member being disengageable from said element upon depressing said body relative to said one of said wheels, and means operable for locking said body fixedly relative to said wheel when said locking member is disengaged from said element. I

14. In a suction cleaner having wheels yieldably supporting said cleaner on a floor, an upstanding handle pivoted on said cleaner for propelling the same, locking mechanism associated with said cleaner and handle and v operable for automatically positively locking said handle in a vertical position relative to said cleaner upon movement of said handle to such position while said cleaner is so arranged on a floor so as to permit said cleaner to be picked up by means of said handle while maintaining the relative positions of said cleaner and handle, said locking mechanism'including a releasable connection constructed and arranged to be released by depressing one end of said cleaner while said cleaner is supported on said wheels, so as to permit pivotal movement of said handle to a position for propelling said cleaner, and means for locking the wheels against yielding movement relative to the cleaner when said locking mechanism is inoperable.

GEORGE R. (JOSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

